Days after a fire ravaged the old Younkers building, examining the site was deemed too dangerous, even for trained professionals.

Until law enforcement can get safely inside, they are searching for leads coming from outside the building.

Investigators plan to comb through hundreds of pictures and videos recorded by eye witnesses Saturday morning.

Investigators said a clue could have been captured within a still photo or cell phone video.

"That's information investigators can use to piece together actual start time, maybe even how it begin, where it started, where it spread to," said Sgt. Jason Halifax of the Des Moines Police Department.

Tom Allgood was repairing a water pipe at 801 Grand overnight Saturday. He rushed to the 39th floor to get a bird’s eye-view of the inferno and recorded what he saw.

"Sharing with friends and family kind of what you saw and kind of your experience of the whole thing," Allgood said.

He said he plans to contribute his video to law enforcement.

"Going through all of the video that the citizens of Des Moines have given us," said John Ham of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “The fire patterns and the way the fire is burning in that video really tells our experts a great deal of information about how this fire behaved."

Police may not know exactly what or who they are looking for, but officer said social media is a way to use the public as extended eyes and ears at a scene.

Des Moines police said they've received about two dozen submissions from the public.

Federal investigators have set up a tip line for people who might have valuable information about the Younkers fire. The number to call is 800-ATF-Fire.

Anyone with photos or video is asked to send them to Des Moines Police Detective Jack Kamerick at jdkamerick@dmgov.org. Call Kamerick with information and tips at 515-237-1495.

Good evening everyone, Federal investigators are now getting their first look inside the destroyed younkers building. But they need the public's help in figuring out what exactly happened moments before the fire erupted. KCCI's Ryan Smith is live downtown to explain. Dozens of people lined the streets in downtown des moines overnight saturday standing in awe of the great fire. Just about everyone captured the scene on their cell phone... Now investigators call that a vital piece to solving this puzzle. Days after a fire ravaged the old younkers building... Examining the site is deemed too dangerous ... even for trained professionals. Until law enforcement can get safely inside... They are searching for leads coming from outside the building. By combing through hundreds of pictures and videos recorded by eye witnesses Saturday morning. Investigators say a clue could have been captured within a still photo or cell phone video. "THAT'S INFORMATION INVESTIGATOR S CAN USE TO PIECE TOGETHER ACTUAL START TIME, MAYBE EVEN HOW IT BEGIN, WHERE IT STARTED, WHERE IT SPREAD TO." 23.32 "THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST FIRE I'VE SEEN COME OUT OF IT, PROBABLY THE WHOLE NIGHT." Tom Allgood was repairing a water pipe at 801 Grand overnight Saturday. He rushed to the 39th floor to get a birds eye view of the inferno and of course ... Recorded what he saw. "SHARING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY KIND OF WHAT YOU SAW AND KIND OF YOUR EXPERIENCE OF THE WHOLE THING." Allgood says he plans to contribute his video to law enforcement. 1.35 "GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE VIDEO THAT THE CITIZENS OF DES MOINES HAVE GIVEN US." "THE FIRE PATTERNS AND THE WAY THE FIRE IS BURNING IN THAT VIDEO REALLY TELLS OUR EXPERTS A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THIS FIRE BEHAVED." Police may not know exactly what or who they are looking for, but say social media is a way to use the public as extended eyes and ears at a scene. Des Moines police report that they've received about two dozen submissions from the public. If you have a video or picture that may help police, we've got the email posted at KCCI.com. Thanks, Ryan.

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